Fuel Friday
/“Italian stuffed capsicums”
Ingredients 📕
FOR THE SAUCE
🔺2 cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
🔺4 cloves garlic, minced
🔺2 tablespoons olive oil
🔺1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
🔺1 teaspoon salt
🔺heavy pinch black pepper
🔺1 bay leaf
🔺1 teaspoon dried oregano
.
FOR THE PEPPERS
.
🔺6 peppers, cut in half from top to bottom, and seeded (to make 12 halves)
🔺2 cups cooked brown rice
🔺2 tablespoons olive oil
🔺2 cloves garlic, minced
🔺1 large shallot, diced
🔺2 stalks celery, diced
🔺3 medium zucchini, diced
🔺1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccolini
🔺half a bunch kale, stems removed and finely chopped
🔺1/2 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
🔺1/2 cup finely chopped black olives
🔺1 generous handful each chopped parsley and basil, plus more for garnish
.
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE SAUCE:
.
🔺Start the sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sauce pot. Once hot, add the garlic and saute until softened and fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili flake, bay leaf, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 40-45 minutes, until thickened.
🔺You can make your stuffing and prepare your peppers during this time.
🔺Once done, discard bay laf and puree about 3/4 of the sauce in a blender until creamy. Return to pot and mix with remaining chunky sauce
.
FOR THE PEPPERS:
.
🔺Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
🔺Cook brown rice and set aside 2 cups (from about 3/4-1 cup dry).
🔺Prepare peppers. Cut peppers in half from top to bottom. Seed peppers and brush with olive oil and salt and pepper. Lay peppers cut side down on a foiled or greased baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.
🔺Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep saute pan. Once hot, add the shallot, celery, and garlic, season with sea salt and pepper and cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Next, add the broccolini and cook until crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add in zucchini and kale and cook 5 minutes more, until the zucchini is tender and the kale is wilted.
🔺Lastly, add in the walnuts and olives and heat through. Adjust mixture for seasoning by adding more salt if necessary and set aside
.
ASSEMBLE THE PEPPERS:
.
🔺Once the sauce is done, spread an even layer on the bottom of a large baking dish.
🔺Place the peppers cut side up.
🔺In a large bowl, mix the vegetable mixture with the brown rice, 1/2 of the sauce, and a large handful each of chopped parsley and basil.
🔺Stuff the peppers well with the mixture.
🔺Cover the peppers in additional sauce, reserving some sauce for serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
🔺Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the peppers for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and tender.
🔺Serve with additional sauce and a generous sprinkling of fresh herbs and a touch of sea salt.
.
Note as a time saver use 2 ½ min packet brown rice 😊
.
You can halve the recipe if needed
.
Dani 😘
